LWVIL Charter School position update: The LWV of Illinois has asked local Leagues to complete a member consensus on possible updates to our Charter Schools position. The Greater Peoria League's Board agreed to participate in this update and we formed a committee. The committee is co-chaired by Hedy Elliott and Jan Deissler.

The LWVIL (state) committee worked for 9 months figuring out the questions that will be discussed by local Leagues. The questions surround 3 issues: transparency, accountability, and finances.

Our committee may include League members and interested community members. They study the background information suggested by the state committee, hold panel discussions, community discussion meetings, interview local leaders in the field, publish articles in our newsletter and on the website, and do fact finding. Our League will hold a general membership meeting in December to determine if our members agree or disagree with any of the LWVIL questions. We send our League's response to the state League by Jan 31, 2015.

The state League's Charter Schools position committee will compile all the local Leagues' responses. The committee will decide whether there is strong enough agreement on each question to suggest to the state League Board to make changes to our current Charter Schools position. The LWVIL Board may make changes to the state committee's report and findings. And, then that approved updated position will be sent to delegates who will attend our statewide convention in June. Those delegates will vote on the update at the June 2015 LWVIL Convention in Chicago.

The updated position is included in our LWVIL positions for local Leagues to use for possible local action. If the LWVIL Board prioritizes this item in their budget and work plan for 2015-16 at the convention, considerable effort could be used to push the issue within the state legislature.

Our committee has completed interviews. We will have articles in our newsletter in Oct, Nov, and Dec. We encourage member and public participation at our meetings:

Serving the people of Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties in Illinois​.The League of Women Voters encourages informed and active participation in government and works to influence public policy through education and advocacy. Any person, 16 or older, male or female, may join.

The LWV is nonpartisan and neither supports nor opposes candidates for elected office but does act on issues after member study and consensus.